Apple celling and slicing machine having a juice passageway



United States Patent APPLE CELLNG AND SLICING MACHINE HAVING A JUICEPASSAGEWAY John E. Lindsay, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to F. B. PeaseCompany, Inc., Rochester, N. Y.

Application May 31, 1952, Serial No. 296,892

6 Claims. (Cl. 146-40) This invention relates to machines forseed-celling and slicing apples and similar fruits and particularly tonovel transmission and supporting means for the main spindles of suchmachines.

In preparing apples for cooking, canning, drying or deep freezing, it iscustomary, in commercial operation, to first pare and core the applesand then feed them into a machine where their seed-cells are removed andthe apples` are sliced radially into any desired number'of segments. Acommon type of seed-celling and slicing machine comprises a spindle forreceiving a succession `of cored apples which move along the spindle tobe successively seed-celled and sliced. y

In the general type of seed-ceiling and slicing rna chine here underconsideration, each apple is moved into partial engagement with theslicing knives and is held against rotation by such knives while aseed-cell1ng knife carried by the spindle cuts out the seed-cells byrotation of the spindle. The apple is then pushed farther along thespindle to bejfully sliced by the slicingblades.

"In general, the spindles of the type of machine to which the presentinvention relates are mounted at their lower ends in bearings which areincorporated in or associated with transmission mechanism by means ofwhich 'the spindle is rotated to effect the seed-celling operation.Since the seed-celling and slicing is effected along the spindle abovethe bearing and transmission mechanism much difculty has heretofore beenencountered with fruit juices seeping down into the transmissionmechamsm.

This problem has persisted despite provisions for packing and sealingthe transmission bearings with conventional seals and packings. Thepresent invention provides a transmission casing, spindle bearing. andspindle arrangement which entirely eliminates this difficulty withoutrelying upon the efficacy of conventional bearing seals and packings,although suchseals may be used as an additional precaution.

In the arranement of the present invention the objectionable seepage isdrained off in a manner which precludes its entry into the interior ofthe transmissioncasing proper and before it reaches the usual bearingseal or packing. While a single complete embodiment of the principles ofthe present invention is set forth herein by way of example, it is to beunderstood that various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, the scope of which is limited only asdefined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a somewhat schematic fragmentary general elevational View of aseed-celling and slicing machine of the general type here underconsideration;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line lI-ll of Fig. 1on an enlarged scale showing one form of the spindle bearing andtransmission arrangement of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View on the line lll-Ill of Fig.2.

In the drawing like characters of reference denote like parts and,referring particularly to Fig. 1, the numeral designates generally aportion of the framework of a seed-celling and slicing machine, Fig. 1showing only so much of the machine generally as is necessary andhelpful to a proper understanding of the present invention. A verticalfruit-impaling spindle is designated 11 and is supported at its lowerend by a transmission mecha- S0 nism, the casing of which is designated12 in Figs. l

and 2. A slicing knife ring or spider 13 is supported by framework 10 insuch manner that it is disposed concentrically about spindle 11 inproximity to a conventional seed-celling knife 15 which is fixed tospindle 11. Sliciiig knife rings o r spiders like that designated 13 inFig. l are common in this art and representative showings thereof arefound, for instance, in United States Letters Patent No. 2,496,637 and2,509,781 to John W. Pease. In Fig. l the numeral 16 designates an armwhose left-hand end, as viewed iii Fig. 1, rocks downwardly to movecored fruit downwardly along spindle 11.

The manner in which spindle 11 is mounted and supported for drivingrotation at its lower end by the transmission means will now bedescribed, reference being had particularly to Fig. 2. Transmissioncasing 12 is provided with a hub 2t) which is coaxial with spindle 11and serves as a support for a removable upper spindle bearing assembly.

A bearing cap 21 has a lower skirt portion 22 which clamps about hub 20by means of a split portion 23 and a bolt and nut clamp 24. A bushing 25is pressed tightly into cap 21, and its lower portion projectsdownwardly i2n1to the annular space defined by skirt portion 22 of cap Abushing 28 is pressed tightly into the interior of hub 2t) and the upperend of a sleeve shaft element 30 has rotatable bearing in bushing 28. Acombined axial and radial thrust ball bearing 31 is mounted in the lowerwall of transmission casing 12 coaxially with bushings 25 and 2S, andthe lower end of sleeve shaft 3i) has bearing therein. A driven bevelgear 33 is fixed to sleeve shaft 30 in any desired manner for rotationjointly therewith.

A drive pin 35 is pressed transversely into sleeve shaft 30, and spindle11 is notched at its lower end as at 36. Spindle 11 may be freelyassembled from above by projecting it downwardly through bushing 25 andinto sleeve shaft 39 to the position of Fig. 2, whereupon drive pin 35causes joint rotation of sleeve shaft 30 and spindle 11.

Bevel gear 30 meshes with a bevel drive pinion 37 whose supportingshaft, indicated at 38 in Fig. 1, is journaled in transmission casing12. Any suitable external drive means for shaft 38 may be provided.

it will be noted that the upper end of sleeve shaft 30 has an enlargedbore 4l) which loosely receives the downwardly projecting portion ofbushing 25. Further, spindle 11 is flattened as at 41 from a point abovethe bottom of bore 4i) downwardly to the end of the spindle.

lt will be seen from the foregoing that any seepage of fruit juicesdownwardly along shaft 11 will pass rather readily between shaft 11 andcap 21, where the clearance is slightly greater than a normal runningtit, and will tend to pass downwardly along the running tit betweenshaft 11 and the interior of bushing 25, since the exterior of bushing25 is pressed securely into cap 21. In prior art constructions thisseepage would ordinarily pass downwardly into the transmission casing inone `way or another;

ln constructions generally like the one here under consideration thejuices would seep between the wall of sleeve shaft 30 and the bore ofbushing 28, this being a running bearing fit, and past experience hasshown that packings and fluid seals have been of little help inpreventing such seepage. Even if the initial efliciency of such a sealbe fairly good, continued rotation wears the seal suiiiciently to permitobjectionable seepage. The harm which these juices cause to the drivemeans, par* ticularly when they harden, is too well-known to requirediscussion.

It is obvious from a consideration of Fig. 2 that such juices as seeppast the running tit between bushing 25 and spindle 11 fall freelythrough the interior of sleeve shaft 3l), especially along the flattenedportion of spindle 11 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, and fallclear of the transmission casing beneath sleeve shaft 39.

A seal is interposed between the upper end of sleeve shaft 39 and hub2i? of casing 12, the seal being designated 42 in Fig. 2 and bearingagainst the top of bushing 28. However, from the standpoint of downwardseepage of fruit juices, this seal is provided only as an extraprecaution and, in normal operation, its presence will be of nopractical significance.

What is claimed is:

1. In a seed-calling and slicing machine, a vertically extending rotaryspindle, a seed-celling knife carried by said spindle, transmissionmeans at the lower end of said spindle for supporting and rotating thesame, a slicing spider concentric with said spindle, means for movingcored fruit downwardly along said spindle toward and past saidseed-celling knife, said transmission means including a iixed casing anda vertical power driven hollow shaft journaled therein and adapted toreceive the lower portion of said spindle and engage the same in rotarydriving relationship, said transmission casing including a bushing atits upper end for bearing engagement with said spindle generally abovesaid hollow shaft, the hollow interior of said shaft being enlarged atits upper end to receive the lower end of said bushing, said hollowshaft interior comprising a discharge opening at the bottom of saidtransmission means, said spindle having a longitudinal formation in itsperiphery extending from the vicinity of said hollow shaft interiorenlargement to the lower en d of the spindle to provide a freepassageway for fruit juices.

2. Ina fruit treating machine, a vertically extending lrotary spindleadapted to receive cored fruit, transmission means at the lower end ofsaid spindle for supporting and rotating the same, means for movingcored fruit downwardly along said spindle, said transmission meansincluding a fixed casing and a vertical power driven hollow shaftjournaled therein and adapted to receive the lower portion of saidspindle and engage the same in rotary driving relationship, saidtransmission casing including a bushing at its upper end for bearingengagement with said spindle generally above said hollow shaft, thehollow interior of said shaft being enlarged at its upper end to receivethe lower end of said bushing, said hollow shaft interior comprising adischarge opening at the bottom of said transmission means, said spindlehaving a longimdinal formation in its periphery extending from thevicinity of said hollow shaft interior enlargement to the lower end ofthe spindle to provide a free passageway for fruit juices.

3. In a seed-celling machine, a vertically extending Vrotary spindle, aseed-celling knife carried by said spindle,

transmission means at the lower end of said spindle for supporting androtating the same, means for moving cored fruit downwardly along saidspindle to said seed-celling knife, said transmission means including afixed casing and a vertical power driven hollow shaft journaled thereinand adapted to receive the lower portion of said spindle and engage thesame in rotary driving relationship, said transmission casing includinga bushing at its upper end for bearing engagement with said spindlegenerally above said hollow shaft, the hollow interior of said shaftbeing enlarged at its upper end to receive the lower end of saidbushing, said hollow shaft interior comprising a discharge opening atthe bottom of said transmission means, said spindle having alongitudinal formation in its periphery extending from the vicinity ofsaid hollow shaft interior enlargement to the lower end of the spindleto provide a free passageway for fruit juices.

4. In a seed-celling and slicing machine, a vertically extending rotaryspindle, a seed-celling knife carried by said spindle, transmissionmeans at the lower end of said spindle for supporting and rotating thesame, a slicing spider concentric with said spindle, means for movingcored fruit downwardly along said spindle toward and past saidseed-ceiling knife, said transmission means including a fixed casing anda vertical power driven hollow shaft journaled therein and adapted toreceive the lower portion of said spindle and engage the same in rotarydriving relationship, said transmission casing including a bushing atits upper and for bearing engagement with said spindle generally abovesaid hollow shaft, the hollow interior of said shaft being enlarged atits upper end to receive the lower end of said bushing, and the bearingsurfaces of said spindle and the hollow interior of said shaft having alongitudinal passage therebetween extend-A ing downwardly from saidhollow shaft interior enlargement to provide a discharge opening at thebottom of said transmission means.

5. In a fruit treating machine, a vertically extending rotary spindleadapted to receive cored fruit, transmission means at the lower end ofsaid spindle for supporting and rotating the same, means for movingcored fruit downwardly along said spindle, said transmission meansincluding a fixed .casing and a vertical power driven hollow shaftjournaled therein and adapted to receive the lower portion of saidspindle and engage the same in rotary driving relationship, saidtransmission casing including a bushing at its upper end for bearingengagement with said spindle generally above said hollow shaft, thehollow interior of said shaft being enlarged at its upper end to receivethe lower end of said bushing, and the bearing surfaces of said spindleand the hollow interior of said shaft having a longitudinal passagetherebetween extending downwardly from said hollow shaft interiorenlargement to provide a discharge opening at the bottom of saidtransmission means.

6. In a seed-celling machine, a vertically extending rotary spindle, aseed-celling knife carried by said spindle, transmission means at thelower end of said spindle for supporting and rotating the same, meansfor moving cored fruit downwardly along said spindle to saidseed-ceiling knife, said transmission means including a fixed casing anda vertical power driven hollow shaft journaled therein and adapted toreceive the lower portion of said spindle and engage the same in rotarydriving relationship, said transmission casing including a bushing atits upper end for bearing engagement with said spindle generally abovesaid hollow shaft, the hollow interior of said shaft being enlarged atits upper end to receive the lower end of said bushing, and the bearingsurfaces of said spindle and the hollow interior of said shaft having alongitudinal passage therebetween extending downwardly from said hollowshaft interior enlargement to provide a discharge opening at the bottomof said transmission means.

Pease May 30, 1950 Cohen Nov. 20, 1951

